September 11th is an important date in the minds of all Americans. It is the date that, in 2001, terrorists did their terrible deeds, many died, our country suffered, and the entire world entered a new phase of international relations and crisis. On that same date in 2006 something of a different nature happened and in many ways was more personal to my family. On that day our nephew Andrew, a recent graduate of Westmont College in California, took what little money he had and set off for a trip around the world. He went to most European countries, Russia, China, Indo China, Indonesia, and then Egypt. Along the way he stopped in Bulgaria to visit his twin brother Eric, who is doing a twenty-eight month stint with the Peace Corp. Andrew ended up in Cairo, Egypt, a city that he now considers his favorite in the world. He did a few months of Arabic studies, worked as an English editor for an Egyptian magazine, rode buses, cars, trains, and the like, and finally, after nine months, made it to the suburbs of Denver, Colorado where he grew up. Stay True to the Dreams of Your Youth is the name of his web blog, which was the inspiration for the blog you are now reading. Andrew kept up his journal regularly. His family and friends were in constant contact with him, not only in word, but also in the sense that we could hear and see what he was doing...or better, what he was up to. What a wonderful technology the Internet can be. It helped us to share his joys and it also helped to salve our fears for his safety. There is a posting Andrew made here to let me know that he had seen this blog and approved. His approval is actually quite important to me. In that entry you will see that he reminds me that the Internet and blogs can be used for both good and bad.
Isn't that a principle we discussed at length on many different levels during this last year's Small Group at my home and also in Student Impact Sunday mornings? So much of life is based upon our choice as to how we are to use something. Whether that thing be an object, a person, or a relationship, we find ourselves facing daily the need to decide how we are going to apply the life God has given us. That life can be a force for good or evil. What we choose to do, the act or actions that we take makes all the difference. Job could have cursed God and died. No one would have remembered him. Job's counselors could have continued to mourn and weep with him, they could have kept their mouths shut and hollow opinions to themselves. Paul could have rationalized his vision on the road to Damascus and disobeyed Christ's calling. He could have invested in a stone quarry. Paul could have said, "You deserved it." He could have said, "I still hate." The people who witnessed the miracles of Christ could have chosen to be dissatisfied and demanded more. More of the lepers could have come back and thanked Jesus. The rich young ruler could have dropped all of his possessions and followed. The Psalmists could have chosen not to have written songs of praise and blessing. Jonathan could have betrayed David. David could have chosen to not seduce the beautiful woman on the roof. The prodigal son could have chosen to remain proud in the pig pen and died there. His father could have turned him away when he returned. The prodigal's older brother could have run out and met him too.
As Captain Gawboy stated in our last lesson in Student Impact this year, we can never know the impact of each and every decision we make. We never know for sure what the outcomes will be. However, we do know that the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to be obedient to The Word of God. He desires us to study His Word, His teachings, and to do the best we can with what we learn and know. He tells us to pray. He calls us to be in close relationship to Him. As you read this entry consider that God wants us to live righteous and holy lives. Consider too that you are young. Paul, on behalf of his Lord, tells you to not let older people put you down because you are young. Christ calls you to be bold and righteous. God will give you a dream, a dream or goal in your youth. Ask! Grab it! Seize the Day! Do it for yourself, but do it for Christ too. Every moment can count. Every decision does matter. Though we don't know each outcome, we know God is faithful. Our most important decision, of coarse, as Captain Gawboy stated, is to decide to walk with Christ. This means you choose to glorify God and goodness with your life. What could be better? What better shield to secure eternity, now? That is an outcome we know. That is our greatest grace from God.
Andrew is now working to make a few bucks so that he can have a little spending money available when he starts his masters program at Georgetown University in late August. You see, Andrew decided to honor the Lord with hard work. The Lord has promised Andrew that He will open many doors for him if he works hard and is faithful. Andrew believes this. Andrew indicated on his blog that he spent only six thousand dollars or so in the nine months that he spent learning about God's world and All of His People. He traveled over 38,000 miles! Some of us spend that much on a car, insurance, and gas. Other than teaching you to be a good consumer, what do we learn from our cars that comes anywhere close to what Andrew learned in his travels!? What Andrew chose to do with his money! Wow!!
Dream in your youth. Submit those dreams to the Lord in prayer. Then...stay true to them.
Isn't that a principle we discussed at length on many different levels during this last year's Small Group at my home and also in Student Impact Sunday mornings? So much of life is based upon our choice as to how we are to use something. Whether that thing be an object, a person, or a relationship, we find ourselves facing daily the need to decide how we are going to apply the life God has given us. That life can be a force for good or evil. What we choose to do, the act or actions that we take makes all the difference. Job could have cursed God and died. No one would have remembered him. Job's counselors could have continued to mourn and weep with him, they could have kept their mouths shut and hollow opinions to themselves. Paul could have rationalized his vision on the road to Damascus and disobeyed Christ's calling. He could have invested in a stone quarry. Paul could have said, "You deserved it." He could have said, "I still hate." The people who witnessed the miracles of Christ could have chosen to be dissatisfied and demanded more. More of the lepers could have come back and thanked Jesus. The rich young ruler could have dropped all of his possessions and followed. The Psalmists could have chosen not to have written songs of praise and blessing. Jonathan could have betrayed David. David could have chosen to not seduce the beautiful woman on the roof. The prodigal son could have chosen to remain proud in the pig pen and died there. His father could have turned him away when he returned. The prodigal's older brother could have run out and met him too.
As Captain Gawboy stated in our last lesson in Student Impact this year, we can never know the impact of each and every decision we make. We never know for sure what the outcomes will be. However, we do know that the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to be obedient to The Word of God. He desires us to study His Word, His teachings, and to do the best we can with what we learn and know. He tells us to pray. He calls us to be in close relationship to Him. As you read this entry consider that God wants us to live righteous and holy lives. Consider too that you are young. Paul, on behalf of his Lord, tells you to not let older people put you down because you are young. Christ calls you to be bold and righteous. God will give you a dream, a dream or goal in your youth. Ask! Grab it! Seize the Day! Do it for yourself, but do it for Christ too. Every moment can count. Every decision does matter. Though we don't know each outcome, we know God is faithful. Our most important decision, of coarse, as Captain Gawboy stated, is to decide to walk with Christ. This means you choose to glorify God and goodness with your life. What could be better? What better shield to secure eternity, now? That is an outcome we know. That is our greatest grace from God.
Andrew is now working to make a few bucks so that he can have a little spending money available when he starts his masters program at Georgetown University in late August. You see, Andrew decided to honor the Lord with hard work. The Lord has promised Andrew that He will open many doors for him if he works hard and is faithful. Andrew believes this. Andrew indicated on his blog that he spent only six thousand dollars or so in the nine months that he spent learning about God's world and All of His People. He traveled over 38,000 miles! Some of us spend that much on a car, insurance, and gas. Other than teaching you to be a good consumer, what do we learn from our cars that comes anywhere close to what Andrew learned in his travels!? What Andrew chose to do with his money! Wow!!
Dream in your youth. Submit those dreams to the Lord in prayer. Then...stay true to them.
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